Are Seahorses difficult to take care of?

[Scottyhorse]

Hi saltwater people! Im March for my birthday, I am thinking of setting up a saltwater aquarium. Right now I have a 2 gal shrimp tank, I am in the process of a 25 gal community build, and soon I am going to start a 5 gallon dwarf puffer or pygmy sunfish tank. So you could say MTS has taken hold

Anyways, i was at first thinking if a 10 gallon nano with a goby, corals and shrimp, but H. Erectus have taken my heart. I have horse anyways, so seahorses would be cool to have!

Right now I am thinking of doing a 25 gallon with a pair of Lined Seahorses, some corals for hitching, some algae because I know they like plants, a protiene skimmer (sp?) instead of a hob filter because of the current, and possibly a goby if I could, but I would rather be understocked because this would be my first salwater tank! I would not have a sump, either. Would I really need one though?

I would also purchase a small ro unit, and mix my own salwater because we live in the country an it would be a whole lot cheaper. Plus I can't drive yet, and the nearest lfs is about 30 mins away from our house.

Basically, I am wondering if seahorses are an okay first salwater fish, and if I am on the right track to keeping them! Thanks

 

[melosu58]

I use to have a SH tank. They are a little on the difficult side. IMO they need to be raised in a species only tank. Other fish will outcompete the SH`s for the food. I always had problems with them having some type of disease that would be like a fungus on them. Here is a diary that I did when I had them.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/melosu58-s-seahorse-diary-88358.html

 

[Scottyhorse]

I use to have a SH tank. They are a little on the difficult side. IMO they need to be raised in a species only tank. Other fish will outcompete the SH`s for the food. I always had problems with them having some type of disease that would be like a fungus on them. Here is a diary that I did when I had them.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/melosu58-s-seahorse-diary-88358.html

Thanks mel, I read through the whole thing. Is it normal for seahorses to have problems as regularly as yours did?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Anyone else ever kept Seahorses?